Results of sensory organization test in military pilots and its reference value determination

  Objective  To explore the detection method and reference value of sensory organization test (SOT) in military pilots and provide references for evaluating vestibular function and medical selection.

  Methods   One hundred and forty-two healthy male pilots were chosen as the subjects from January to September in 2019. The subjects were instructed to maintain the stability of the upright position as much as possible under condition 1 (force plate and visual surround fixed, eyes open), condition 2 (force plate and visual surround fixed, eyes closed), condition 3 (force plate fixed, visual surround sway-referenced, eyes open), condition 4 (force plate sway-referenced, visual surround fixed, eyes open), condition 5 (force plate sway-referenced, visual surround fixed, eyes closed) and condition 6 (force plate and visual surround sway-referenced, eyes open). The equilibrium score of each test was calculated according to the swing range of the subject. The highest score was 100. The greater the swing range was, the lower the balance score was. The lower limit of normal values of the equilibrium score for each condition, composite equilibrium score (COM), somatosensory sense (SOM) score, visual sense (VIS) score, vestibular sense (VEST) score and visual preference (PREF) score were calculated.

  Results   The lower limit of values of the equilibrium score from condition 1 to 6 were 91, 91, 87, 79, 64 and 52, respectively, the lower limit of values of COM score, SOM score, VIS score, VEST score and PREF score were 76, 95, 83, 67 and 86, respectively. The lower limit of PREF score in military pilots was equal to the reference value of the instrument, and the lower limit of other parameters was higher than the reference value of the instrument in this study.

  Conclusion   This study has determined the standard of SOT in military pilots and provided references for aeromedical selection and assessment.